Philadelphia councilmembers urge World Cup watch party organizers to attend trainings about dealing with ICE
Three members of Philadelphia City Council are urging business owners and watch party organizers to learn about local laws and individuals' constitutional rights around immigration enforcement ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
During a press conference Tuesday outside City Hall, Minority Leader Kendra Brooks and Councilmembers Rue Landau and Nicolas O'Rourke encouraged business owners and anyone organizing a World Cup watch party to attend a 90-minute training about interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition is running the trainings. Kate Firestone with the coalition called on organizers of FIFA Fan Festival, the 39-day event in Fairmount Park put on by the city, and anyone else hosting local watch parties to attend, as well as staff members and volunteers for those events.
Fans from around the world are expected to visit Philadelphia during the World Cup.
"With watch parties attracting thousands of foreign-born soccer fans, we must prepare for potential ICE activities in our businesses and in our communities," Brooks said. "We must take the time now, this week, to make a clear plan for the people who will be watching, celebrating and working at our local events and businesses during this World Cup. If we wait until ICE shows up at a watch party, it's already too late."
Brooks and Landau sponsored the "ICE Out legislation" that passed in City Council with a veto-proof majority earlier this year. Brooks described that as the "most aggressive anti-ICE legislation" in the country.
The legislation includes measures that ban ICE agents from wearing face coverings, prohibit ICE activity on city property, limit Philadelphia police collaboration with ICE and strengthen protections against discrimination based on citizenship and immigration status.
"We are encouraging every watch party host to spend a Monday or Thursday night preparing their staff and learning how to protect their patrons," Landau said during the press conference. "We want this World Cup to be an exciting celebration of sportsmanship and team pride, but not without keeping Philadelphia safe, accountable and prepared to stand up for their rights."
The trainings will help people develop a plan in case federal agents show up at their events, organizers said.
Philadelphia's FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill begins June 11, the day of the first group stage matches. The first match in South Philly is Côte d'Ivoire vs. Ecuador on June 14.
The free trainings are on Thursday (June 4) and Monday (June 8) at 6 p.m. Sign-up is available online.
